An English Rose
by PeachesRomance
Summary: A modern AU.Lizzie has been gone for 16 months, but now she is back, Once the most Famous actress and singer in England, now she return trying to get her career back on track and reconnect with her family, but she bring a secret with her .why did she leave? how will Darcy feel to find out the love of his life is back?
1. Chapter 1

**Please feel free to inform me of any mistakes. songs used in this chapter are, Picking up piece by Paloma Faith and Just give me a reason by Pink. **

**i do not own any of the characters. all own by Jane Austen**

** this is the dress i imagine for Lizzie . /i/pix/2009/05/05/article-1177287-04CDB088000005DC -294_**

**the character i imagine for this are the ones from the 2005 p and p, Lizzie is based on keira Knightly, more hair colour, eyes, figure etc. The same for Darcy is based on Matthew Macfayden. **

16 months, it had been nearly that long since Elizabeth Bennet had been to England. Now here she stood back stage at a hotel in London, waiting to surprise the audience in the ballroom who had come to a charity auction and knew nothing about her performance. she was going to show them that she was back after disappearing out of the glamorous world she lived. No one knew what happen to Lizzie Bennet, Singer, Actress and overall everyone favorite English Rose. One minute she was in a happy relationship with the rich, handsome, mulch-millionaire businessman Fitzwilliam Darcy, to the world, they seem like the perfect couple. The beautiful singer/ actress with the handsome business owner they were made for each other, then 16 months ago she vanished, all the media knew was she had called of her engagement to Darcy and disappeared, she had not been photograph for nearly 10 months before photo's began to appear of her in L.A out with a mysterious man, even theses were far and few. She no longer did interviews for magazines, TV, only continuing to do photo shoots for companies that could guarantee her photos would not be publish back in Britain.

"Are you ready Lizzie?" question Nate, he stood leaning up against the wall, watching his best friend pace back and forth, her long midnight blue ball gown skirt swishing around her each time she turned. Her diamond teardrop earring and diamond teardrop necklace shinning and dazzling in the lights as she walk underneath them, she truly look stunning, Nate shock his head she never did understand how beautiful she was.

"I don't think I can do this!" Exclaimed Lizzie, stopping to look at her best friend, he really was handsome she through to herself taking in his looks, his black hair was wild and unruly, long at the back touching the collar of his shirt, his eye were the same colour of her dress, a deep midnight blue, that twinkle when he was being mischievous. He look smart in his Levi jeans, crisp white shirt and black blazer, the top two button of his shirt were undone and a blue tie laid undone down his chest. "This was a bad idea Nate, I've had a look and I can see them all in the audience, Jane, Charlie, Darcy and her!".

"No this was not a bad idea, it was brilliant you're been away too long, it times to show them your back with new music, a new you!"

"I know but I been away so long… I not even see Jane since I left, I know I let her down by just running but I couldn't stay!"

"I know you couldn't Lizzie, but your back and I be out soon with you, just get through the first song and I be out to help you with your second one, I mean you can't do that without me." Nate said winking at Lizzie.

Okay I can do this, Lizzie through to herself as she heard herself being introduced to the ballroom,

"now I like you all give a loud round applause for are this amazing women, she not been seen for over a year and now she back!"

"go get them Lizzie!" Nate shouted at her as she took to the stage, before walking down on to the ballroom floor so she was closer to the audience.

As soon as she step out there were gasps from the audience, the loudest it seem to Lizzie came from Jane's table, but she could not tell , she could hear the hush whisper and murmur that were now happening, but she block that out as the music began and she knew she needed to start singing. It was a new song she was singing, she would sing two tonight from her new album to promote herself. The music began and Lizzie just concentrated on singing.

_Do you think of her?  
When you're with me?  
Repeat the memories you made together  
Whose face do you see?  
Do you wish I was a bit more like her?  
Am I too loud?  
I play the clown  
To cover up all these doubts_

as the song went along, Lizzie became more confident and started to move around the ballroom floor, every now and then she would look over at Jane, it broke her heart to see her sister nearly in tears. _Oh Jane am so sorry. _Lizzie through as she sung. Eventually the song came to end and the audience jumped to their feet to applaud her.

"Thank you." Lizzie spoke to the crowd, it was time to get Nate out. " it is wonderful to back here in London, Alert the Newspapers AM BACK!" she said laughing as the audience join in with her. "now I like to get a dear friend out here to help me sing my next song, please give a big welcome to Nathaniel Jordan." Lizzie turned with her arm out stench as Nate walk out into the room with a mic in his hand.

"This is another song from my upcoming album, I hope you enjoy it!" she turned to look at Nate who gave her a wink as the music started up, taking his hand the stood facing each other so they could sing to each other.

_Right from the start_  
_You were a thief_  
_You stole my heart_  
_And I your willing victim_  
_I let you see the parts of me_  
_That weren't all that pretty_  
_And with every touch you fixed them_  
_Now you've been talking in your sleep, oh, oh_  
_Things you never say to me, oh, oh_  
_Tell me that you've had enough_  
_Of our love, our love_  
_Just give me a reason_  
_Just a little bit's enough_  
_Just a second we're not broken just bent_  
_And we can learn to love again_  
_It's in the stars_  
_It's been written in the scars on our hearts_  
_We're not broken just bent_  
_And we can learn to love again_

Lizzie sung her heart out, the crowds were amazing by the friends and the way they sung together. For Lizzie this song was personal it reflected her feelings and emotion about how her relationship was with Darcy towards the end.

During the song a discussion was taking part on one of the tables.

"I can't believe it is Lizzie!" Jane Bennet cried as she wiped tears from her face, she had not seen or heard from Lizzie since she left that day in January . "she back, not a phone call, nothing and then she turns up here of all places, my dearest Lizzie is back." Jane Bennet said captivated by her sister, Jane was a beauty in her light pink cocktail, her blonde hair was up in a messy bun, and her pale blue eyes shone with tears.

"Shush Darling, don't cry you should be happy to see her." Charlie, Jane Fiance cried. He sat next to her patting Jane hand trying to calm her down, Charlie had red hair and grey eyes the color of mist.

"I cannot believe it!" exclaimed Caroline Bingley from next to Charlie, like her brother her hair was red and she had pale brown eyes. "What is she doing back?"

"Caroline, be quiet." Exclaimed her brother, as he turned back to Jane to comfort her. Not one of them took notice of turmoil that Fitzwilliam Darcy was in, he had not seen her either since that day in January, but she had not change. Looking at her now singing with Nate, she was still to Darcy as beautiful as ever, her chestnut brown hair falling in loose curl around her shoulder, the only different was it was now longer. But her eye's he though, they were still as beautiful as ever, shining brilliant green, they always reminded him of emerald and how he love to look at them. From next to him he could hear his sister Georgiana and his cousin Richard discussing her, why was she back? Why here? Why now? He could not think of any of these questions all he could think was. She Back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank You to all have review, especially to msbookworm93, DannieRaRa and Catherine gest lauros.**

**i do not own any of the characters except the ones i have created the rest belong to Jane Austen. Song in this chapter is: can't take my eye off you by Lady Antebellum.**

As the song came to an end, again the crowd erupted into applause. Lizzie took a deep breath and thanked the crowd, before turning and walking from the ballroom, as she turn to look back at Jane's table she made eye contact with Darcy, he stood frozen on the spot looking at her, she felt the shiver go through her body, _he as handsome as ever _she thought to herself, as she turn back around to listen to Nate.

"You were amazing Lizzie." Exclaimed Nate, once they were out of the ballroom, and making their way to Lizzie dressing room. "But why are we back here, don't you want to see Jane?"

"Thank you Nate." Replied Lizzie as she took a seat on the sofa. "And of course I do, I just need to catch my breath and change my dress, did you see the way they were looking at me, especially Darcy! Am not sure I can go back out there."

"Of course you can, just have a drink, get change then go back out; I will be with you every step of the way. How about I go give Melissa a call see how Lewis is then I will come back to get you?"

"Thank you Nate." Lizzie said as Nate exit the room, she got up and began to pace around the room. _I must go out there; I must go see Jane, sweetest Jane, the pain I have put her through! But I can't face Darcy and her! It is too much, too soon! _ Lizzie thought to herself as she went about getting change into her new dress, a simple floor length satin green dress that had a split up the left leg, and no back that dip at the bottom of her back in a 'V' shape at top of her bottom.

The time Lizzie had change, Nate enter back into the room. "Melissa says that Lewis is fine took him a little while to settle because of his teething but he sleeping perfectly now and you're not to worry. I've also had a look back out in the ballroom, the band is in there and playing, most people have got up to dance or talk to people they know, so probably best time to slip back in."

"Thank you, Nate, maybe I should only stay for a little while, what if Lewis wakes and cry's for me; maybe we should just go home?"

"No, Elizabeth Bennet you are not a coward, now let's get out there and go see your sister." Nate replied to Lizzie as he took her by the hand and began to lead her towards the ballroom.

"Okay, however I will not stay long, I got so much to do now am back, like look for a house that be a good start."

"Stop making up excuses." Nate replied as he pushed open the door to the ballroom and allowed Lizzie to walk in. As Lizzie took a step into the room and made her way across to where Jane was standing with Charles, Darcy, Caroline, Georgiana and Richard, people began to approach her, to extend their compliments on her performance and how nice it was to see her back. She just wanted to get to Jane, but the short walk across the ballroom took longer with the constant stopping.

Eventually she made it to Jane, who had her back to Lizzie, with Nate stood next to Lizzie, not letting go of her hand she knew she could do this. The group went silent, causing Jane to stop talking and slowly turn around.

"Hello Jane." Lizzie spoke softly as she held back the tears, taking a good look at her sister; she hadn't change since Lizzie left. She was still as lovely as ever, but now she seem to have a glow about her that come about from being loved by a man like Charlie, _I had that once,_ thought Lizzie.

"Lizzie." Cried Jane as she pulled Lizzie into a hug and began to cry, Lizzie released Nate's hand to hug Jane back as she began to feel the tear slip down her face. "Oh I have missed you so much!"

Eventually after a few more minutes of holding tightly onto Lizzie, Jane released her, together they turn to face the group, Nate came to stand on Lizzie's right side, taking hold of her hand again, Jane Still held on to Lizzie's left hand. She was not ready yet to let go of her little sister who had just return to her.

"Hello everyone." Lizzie spoke to the group, before she knew it, Charlie brought her into a hug, followed by Georgiana and Richard who expressed their delight at seeing her back, and the only two who did not greet her were Caroline and Darcy. Lizzie did not wish to speak to them either, but she knew eventually she would need to speak to Darcy. Once she had been hugged and greeted by the group she was allow to return back to stand between Jane and Nate. She knew they would have questions to ask her, but first she needed them to meet Nate. Taking Nate's hand she smiled at him as she introduced him to the group. "Guys I like to introduce you to my best friend, Nate."

In turn they all greeted him, except Darcy, he watched the way Lizzie took his hand and the way she smiled at him as she introduce him. Darcy could feel his temper flaring as became jealous of the obvious friendship and closeness between Lizzie and Nate.

With everyone now introduce, Jane ask the question that everyone was thinking. Lizzie knew it only be a matter of time before they began questioning her. "Why are you back Lizzie?"

"It was time to come back Janie, I saw in the magazines you were engaged, I couldn't miss your wedding, I was home sick as much as I love my life in L.A. I had missed England, when I saw that you were engaged I knew it was time to come home, am so sorry Jane." Lizzie explained as the group watch her.

"Well I for one am glad you are back Lizzie!" Cried Charlie as he smiled widely at Lizzie.

"Thank you Charlie."

"Shame we don't all feel the same." Caroline remarked under her breath, but loud enough for Lizzie to hear.

"I see you have not change Caroline, still as lovely as ever I see." Lizzie sarcastically remarked to her trying to keep calm at same time.

"If you got nothing nice to say, don't say anything Caroline." Richard snap at her from where he stood next to her, during all of this Darcy still stood quietly unable to utter a word to Lizzie, he did not know what to expect from her, would she talk to him, would she shout at him, would she cry? Darcy was at a loss of how to proceed to talk to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, I still don't understand why you left in the first place, I know you said you needed a break from your life, and the media was too much, but to go to L.A without a word for sixteen months! Why?" Jane asked her.

"Am sorry Jane I can't explain, I had my reasons. Maybe you should ask Caroline and Will." Lizzie answered as she looked at the two in question. Caroline and Darcy turned to look at each other, the panic clear across their faces.

"Well Darcy?" question Richard. "Caroline, care to explain what she is going on about?"

"I have no idea what she is going on about, do you Will darling?" Caroline asked turning to face Darcy.

"No, I don't know either." Darcy replied showing no emotion, Lizzie stared at his face but she could see that he had his mask in place; she had seen it many times. She felt like she had taken a blow to the stomach when he replied, he knew why she left, but he wouldn't admit it, she could feel the tears beginning to form as she thought back to that day in January over a year ago.

_*Flashback*_

_Lizzie couldn't contain her excitement as she made her way into the building Will owned and worked at. As she made her way pass security she greeted the men there as they allowed her through, with a quick run she just made it in time to an elevator that was going up. As she stepped in she could hear murmur of people around her as they recognize who she was. _

_She smiled to herself as she listen to their whispers, surely they should be used to seeing me by now, she thought to herself. Lizzie was brought out of her thoughts by someone speaking to her._

"_Hello Lizzie here to see the boss?" Asked George Wickham, he stood there smiling down at Lizzie, she always did like George, but it seemed he and Will had not been getting on lately. _

"_Hello George." Replied Lizzie as she smiled up to him. "Yes I am, I have something to tell him." She smiled to herself as she thought of the news, she was sure he be as happy as she was, she may only be 22 but she felt ready for this new challenge in her life. She felt like she was never too young for anything, she had broken into the music and film industry as 16, so knew she could cope. She just hoped that at 28 that Will would be okay with it. He was busy with his many chains and companies she wondered if he have time in his life to do this. _

"_Oh, care to share?" asked George. _

"_Sorry George, I have to tell Will first, I'm sure you will find out soon." Replied Lizzie._

"_Ok then, well this is my floor. See you soon Lizzie." George said as he exit the elevator on to his floor. He would however not speak or see Lizzie again after that talk._

_Lizzie rode the elevator up to the top by herself in silence, eventually It came to a stop on the top floor, as she stepped out she took a look around at the place where only the CEO office was situated and where she would find Will. As she walked towards Will's office she greeted the receptionist Helen, before heading further off down to the corridor where she found Will's PA, Taylor sat at his desk._

"_Hello Taylor, is he in?" Lizzie asked._

"_Um… yes he is Miss Bennet; would you like me to announce you are here?" Taylor asked as he stood up he seem nervous, surely he is used to me by now Lizzie thought._

"_No thanks Taylor I'm sure I can announce myself." She laughed as she walked towards the door, she never did hear Taylor's warning about going in as she pushed the door open to Will's office. _

"_Will darling I think we need to pull the wedding forward a few months I got some wonderful news…" Lizzie began to say as she fully stepped into the office, before she froze in her place. _

_She couldn't believe what she was seeing in front of her, there in Wills office was Will pushed up against his desk, his hair a mess, his top few buttons of his shirt undone, his shirt un-tuck and his tie nowhere to be found. In front of him stood Caroline Bingley, her dress was all messed up, her hair was escaping it's neat bun, one of the dress straps was down her shoulder and her shoes were gone. She stood passionately kissing Will as she tried to undress him even more. _

_Lizzie heard a gasp, then a sob, before she realized it was herself trying to control her sobs. _

"_Lizzie!" exclaimed Will as he pushed Caroline away, trying to neaten himself up. "Lizzie it is not what it looks like, I promise you, I could never cheat on you and not with Caroline." He continues as he made his way to Lizzie, he tried to take hold of her hands but she pushed him away._

"_Get off me!" shouted Lizzie after the shock she felt her spirit come back and with that her anger. "You're kissing her, in your office! What more is there to say! How long as it been going on?"_

"_it hasn't I promise you…" _

"_I don't believe you." _

_Having straightened herself out Caroline took a step towards the couple. _

"_Just tell her the truth." Commented Caroline, with a smirk on her face, she was loving seeing the Brilliant Eliza Bennet in pain. "It has been going on for months, He loves me not you, he's going to leave you for me!"_

"_No, Caroline shut up!" Will snarled at Caroline, "she's lying nothing is happening, she just turned up here I thought it was you, I began to get prepared for you, then she came bursting in and next thing I knew she pushed me up against my desk and was kissing me …. Please Lizzie you got to believe me." _

"_I…. I… I can't believe you." Lizzie whispered, her heart was breaking this is not how she planned her visit to Will to be like. "You've been acting off for a long time, secret calls, texts, and how do I know they weren't from her!"  
_

"_They weren't, I promise you!" _

"_I don't believe you." Cried Lizzie, she could feel the people stood out in the waiting room behind her listening, she could feel Taylor's presence in the door way, but she didn't care, no one would get to see her cry. "It's over Will." _

"_No please Lizzie, don't believe her trust me, don't end what we have, I Love you, I want to still marry you!"_

"_I love you too, but you have broken my heart, I can't marry you now I don't trust you." Lizzie exclaimed as she slowly began to take off her engagement ring, the memory of how he propose past through her mind as she drop the ring on to the floor, how she loved that ring, it was his great-grandmothers. _

_Walking up to Caroline with renew strength, she got close to her face, Caroline flinch fearing that Lizzie would hit her. Instead Lizzie took a step back and said "At last you got what you want, he all yours I hope you two are very happy together." _

_Lizzie turned to walk away from the office, she could hear Will sobs, but she did not care. As she reach the door she felt a hand on her arm she turn to face Will, he was no longer sobbing but she could see the tears trickling down his face._

"_Please don't leave me Lizzie." He begged off her as he looked into her eyes._

"_Goodbye Will." Lizzie replied as she pulled her arm from his hand, she walked straight out the door, she couldn't remember the ride down in the elevator, she never heard Will as he shouted after her. _

_She never heard anyone talk to her as she made her way out of the building. She stopped on the pavement in front, she never did get to tell him her news and he would never know. _

_*end of Flashback* _

"Lizzie is everything alright?" Asked Georgiana, breaking Lizzie's daydream about that day.

"Yes, everything is fine." Replied Lizzie as she pulled herself back together. "It doesn't matter why I left, only myself, Caro and Darcy will know, it is the past and I am much happier now."

"So how did you meet Nate?" Richard question, deciding that the topic was getting a bit heavy, the tension between Darcy, Caroline and Lizzie was becoming awkward.

Lizzie smiled up to Nate as she recounted to the group how she met Nate when she worked on her last album, had kept in touch and when she moved to L.A he help her find a place get settle in and since then they became best friends, he also help her write her new album.

As the group began to relax in each other's presence, Richard asked Lizzie for a dance. The music began up,

_I know that the bridges that I've burned  
Along the way  
Have left me with these walls and these scars  
That won't go away  
And opening up has always been the hardest thing  
Until you came  
So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go  
This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known  
And I just can't take my eyes off you  
And I just can't take my eyes off you_

"Will you not tell me why you left Lizzie?" Richard asked as he spun Lizzie round the dance floor.

"Richard, it too painful to talk about and it is in the pass, am happy now." She replied.

"Okay but if you ever need someone to talk too, am here." He smiled down at her.

As they continue to dance, Darcy sat at his table with the rest watching them dance, _how appropriate the lyrics are _he thought to himself as he watch Lizzie, he couldn't take his eyes of her. All around him people where talking. Georgiana and Jane were discussing the wedding, whilst Charlie and Nate spoke about cars, how he hates Nate already.

"What are you looking at?" Caroline Screeched from next to him, breaking his concentration on Lizzie.

"Nothing." Mumble Darcy.

"Don't lie you are looking at her!"

"No am not, am watching the Band you know I only have eyes for you." He lied to her, he felt nothing for her but since that day in January he never seemed to be able get rid of her. So settle in to a loveless relationship, which turned into a loveless engagement, he needed an heir for his business and as he was 29 and had no other prospect, he felt like he had no other choice but to ask her.

"Good am going to get a drink, be back in a minute." She got up to leave him, but stop to give him a kiss on his cheek before she walked off. He looked back over to Richard and Lizzie to see him whisper into her ear and Lizzie to begin giggling. He felt a jealous rage begin to boil in him, how dare his cousin be able to laugh around with his Lizzie like that, to him Lizzie will always be his.

As Lizzie and Richard made their way back to the table, Caroline returned and took her place next to Darcy. Richard and Lizzie decided to stand behind Georgiana, Jane, Charlie and Nate. As the group began to discuss how Charlie proposed, Nate's phone began to ring. Looking down at the ID caller and seeing it was Melissa, he mouthed to Lizzie who was watching intensively, as well as the rest of the group, that it was Melissa on the phone.

"Hey Melissa, everything alright?" Nate asked as he answered the phone. For a few more minutes, Lizzie waited on tender hooks desperate to know what was being said by Melissa. Eventually Nate said goodbye to Melissa and hung up.

"Well?" Questioned Lizzie, as soon as he hung up.

"Lewis has woken up." Replied Nate. By now the whole group were watching closely as Nate and Lizzie spoke.

"And…"

"Try not to worry but he's got bit of a temperature, she has given him capol but he is still crying and asking for his mummy, she can't get him to settle and thought you like to know."

Lizzie paled when she heard that Lewis was crying and her heart went out to him. Turning to the group she said to them. "Sorry guys I've got to go, got an emergency at home, Jane I'll call you in couple of day's to sort out meeting up for lunch." Lizzie leant down to kiss her sister goodbye as she turned to kiss Charlie goodbye. Jane asked "Lizzie who is Lewis?"

Lizzie looked from Nate to the group she could feel all eyes on her, especially a specific pair that were looking at her intensively. She took a deep breath, looked one more time at Nate before looking at the group and saying.

"He is my son."

**Thank you for Reading , please review. **


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